Reddit mentions: The best bike repair books
We found 174 Reddit comments discussing the best bike repair books. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 18 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.
1. Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance
- Author: Lennard Zinn
- ISBN: 1934030597
Features:
Specs:
Color | Black |
Height | 11.04 Inches |
Length | 8.5 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | November 2010 |
Size | One Size |
Weight | 2.73 Pounds |
Width | 1.14 Inches |
2. Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance: The World's Best-Selling Bicycle Repair and Maintenance Guide
ZINN & ART OF RD BIKE MAINT 4E
Specs:
Height | 10.8 Inches |
Length | 8.51 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | February 2013 |
Weight | 0.000625 Pounds |
Width | 1.23 Inches |
3. Training and Racing with a Power Meter
- An updated second edition of the definitive guide to the ultimate training tool
- Provides significant updates on technology, software tools, training protocols, and workouts, making the benefits of power-based training available to everyone
- Has specific information for triathletes including a complete triathlon training plan
- Paperback, 2-color interior with charts and tables throughout, 400 pages, 7 3/8" x 9 1/4"
Features:
Specs:
Height | 9.11 Inches |
Length | 7.5 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | April 2010 |
Weight | 1.53000809828 Pounds |
Width | 0.81 Inches |
4. Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance: The World's Best-Selling Bicycle Repair and Maintenance Guide
Zinn And Art Of Rd Bike Maint
Specs:
Color | Black |
Height | 11 Inches |
Length | 8.5 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | One Size |
Weight | 3 Pounds |
Width | 1.1 Inches |
5. Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance
By Lennard ZinnMore than 300 illustrationsThe world's most popular road bike repair manual will make a mechanic out of anyone Best-selling author Lennard Zinn shares his wealth of road bike knowledge in this second editionPaperback440 pages
Specs:
Height | 10.97 Inches |
Length | 8.5 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Weight | 2.7 Pounds |
Width | 1.1 Inches |
6. Effective Cycling (The MIT Press)
Specs:
Color | Multicolor |
Height | 9.06 Inches |
Length | 7.13 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | April 2012 |
Weight | 2.55074837134 Pounds |
Width | 1.18 Inches |
7. Just Ride: A Radically Practical Guide to Riding Your Bike
- Beacon Press
Features:
Specs:
Release date | May 2012 |
8. Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook: A Worldwide Cycling Route & Planning Guide
Used Book in Good Condition
Specs:
Height | 0 Inches |
Length | 0 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Weight | 1.01 Pounds |
Width | 0 Inches |
9. Mountain Bike Maintenance: The Illustrated Manual
- CPU: LGA1155; Supports Intel 2nd/3rd Generation Core i7/ i5/ i3 Processors; Supports Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 Technology; Supports Hyper-Threading Technology
- Chipset: Intel Z77
- Memory: 4X DDR3 2800+(OC)/2400(OC)/2133(OC)/1866(OC)/1600/1333/1066 DIMM Slots Non-ECC, Unbuffered, Dual Channel, Maxi Capacity up to 32GB
- Slots: 2X PCI-Express 3.0?X16 Slot (dual at X8/X8 mode); 1X PCI-Express 2.0 X16 Slot (runs at X4); 1X PCI-Express 2.0 X1 Slot
- SATA: 4X SATA3 Ports two support RAID?0, 1, 5, 10; 4X SATA2 Ports Supports RAID?0, 1, 5, 10; 1 X eSATA3 Port (shared with SATA3 port)
- Ports: 8X USB 2.0 Ports (2 rear,?6?via header); 6X USB 3.0 Ports(4 rear,?2?via header); 1X PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Port; 1X Optical S/PDIF Out; 1X RJ45 LAN Port; 1X HDMI Port; 1X?DVI Port; 1X VGA Port; 1 X Display Port; 1 X eSATA3 Port; Audio I/O Jacks
- Power Connector: 1X 24-Pin ATX Power Connector, 1X 8-Pin 12V Power Connector
Features:
Specs:
Height | 10.75 Inches |
Length | 8.25 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Weight | 2.1 pounds |
Width | 0.75 Inches |
10. The Bike Owner's Handbook
- 112 pages
- soft cover
Features:
Specs:
Height | 6.6929 Inches |
Length | 5.1181 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Weight | 0.3086471668 Pounds |
Width | 0.31496 Inches |
11. Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance: The World's Best-Selling Guide to Mountain Bike Repair
Smartly organized guide features a two-color interior that's easy to read, even in a dimly-lit garage or workshopStep-by-step instructions explain the tools and parts you’ll need and how to know you’ve done the job rightMore than 750 comprehensive illustrations and exploded views including 150 n...
Specs:
Height | 11 Inches |
Length | 8.5 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Weight | 1.00089866948 Pounds |
Width | 1.5 Inches |
12. Tour Fever: The Armchair Cyclist's Guide to the Tour de France
Specs:
Height | 7.96 Inches |
Length | 4.48 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Width | 0.65 Inches |
13. A Quick Guide To Fixie Bikes: Everything You Need To Know To Get Started On Your Fixed-Gear Bicycle (fixed gear, single speed, fixie bike, fixie bikes, specialized bikes, repair, commute,bikes)
- Used Book in Good Condition
Features:
Specs:
Release date | February 2015 |
14. velo evolution - Fahrradgeschichte: Entwicklung - Design - Hintergründe
Specs:
Height | 11.92911 Inches |
Length | 8.97636 Inches |
Release date | February 2014 |
Width | 0.70866 Inches |
15. Vive le Tour!: Amazing Tales of the Tour de France
- New
- Mint Condition
- Dispatch same day for order received before 12 noon
- Guaranteed packaging
- No quibbles returns
Features:
Specs:
Height | 7.0866 Inches |
Length | 5.1181 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | June 2010 |
Weight | 0.71429772888 Pounds |
Width | 0.94488 Inches |
16. Touring Bikes: A Practical Guide
Specs:
Height | 10.25 Inches |
Length | 8 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Weight | 1.48591564588 Pounds |
Width | 0.75 Inches |
17. Zinn and the Art of Triathlon Bikes: Aerodynamics, Bike Fit, Speed Tuning, and Maintenance
Lennard Zinn was a member of the U.S. national racing team and has been riding and fixing bikes for nearly 50 years. A professional frame builder and bike designer for his business Zinn Cycles, Lennard is also the technical writer for Velo magazine and Singletrack.com and hosts the popular bike tech...
Specs:
Height | 10.98 Inches |
Length | 8.5 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | May 2007 |
Weight | 2.11 Pounds |
Width | 0.86 Inches |
18. Das Blaue Buch der Fahrradtechnik: BBB-3
- package height : 5.08 cm
- package length : 9.144 cm
- package width : 6.35 cm
- Product type : AUTO ACCESSORY
Features:
Specs:
Height | 10.98423 Inches |
Length | 8.54329 Inches |
Release date | November 2013 |
Width | 0.7874 Inches |
🎓 Reddit experts on bike repair books
The comments and opinions expressed on this page are written exclusively by redditors. To provide you with the most relevant data, we sourced opinions from the most knowledgeable Reddit users based the total number of upvotes and downvotes received across comments on subreddits where bike repair books are discussed. For your reference and for the sake of transparency, here are the specialists whose opinions mattered the most in our ranking.
> as opposed to 700 watts for a few seconds
Sprint training is difficult to plan and hard to improve, so it's more valuable to get to the finish fresh than to train your sprint. Sprint power is very dependent on genetics. /u/carpediemracing has written about this in a comment recently. Ultimately if you want to be a better sprinter then timing and positioning will benefit you more than raw Watts.
> I hear the weight room is the best place for developing that.
To an extent yes, but remember that the force production during a sprint and the force production during your 10rep max are leagues apart. If you're sprinting at full tilt then at best you'll produce the equivalent force of an equivalent 1 rep/sec (rounded and assuming 120rpm). For this reason it's generally recommended to do plyometrics off the bike and focus on technique when on the bike. Weight training can help with your initial jump if it's low speed, on a gradient or from a standing start, but the nature of power production means you'll never attain huge force production like you would off the bike. You'll never actually attain your best possible force production unless pedal velocity (cadence) is 0. Coggan has written about this with regards to quandrant analysis of the pedal stroke.
If you haven't picked up a copy of Training and Racing with a Power Meter I'd recommend it, even if you do not own a power meter. In fact I'd say he should change the title at this point since it's a better general training utility than it is a power meter handbook (although power is important to understanding your ability).
The easiest would be to just go to a local bike shop, ask them what needs to be done, and have them do it.
It sounds like you are interested in getting your hands dirty and doing the work yourself. In that case, the usual advice would be to get to your nearest bike coop, take one of their bike maintenance classes or rent space in their shop and have someone help you out figuring out what you need to do and how to do it. But it looks like your closest bike coop might be in Sacramento, which is a bit of a hike. There is apparently a guy in Chico who is in the process of starting a bike coop, so you might want to try contacting him.
Beyond that, you can try striking out on your own. A few good resources for learning about bike maintenance are Sheldon Brown's website (ignore the crappy 90's style design, he has tons of good information on his site) and the Park Tool website (they have lots of good repair info, and they will sell you all of the tools you might need). If paper is more your thing, then good beginning books would include Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance, Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance, or the Park Tool book. And I know you've already been redirected to /r/bicycling from AskReddit, but for bike repair questions, /r/bikewrench might be more helpful (check out the sidebar here on /r/bicycling for links to FAQs and other relevant subreddits).
As far as not riding like a douchebag, if you ask 10 cyclists you'll probably get 11 different answers (and if you ask non-cyclists, you will probably get a lot of dangerous advice). There will be endless debates as to whether it's OK to run red lights, whether you should pass on the right or split lanes, whether bike lanes are a good thing or not, whether you should wear a helmet, etc. Some of the more universal tips: ride with lights at night. Don't ride on the sidewalk. Don't be a bike salmon (riding the wrong way in traffic). Be predictable. I find that BicycleSafe.com has some practical tips on safety without getting too much into the endlessly debatable points.
And finally, welcome to cycling! I hope you enjoy it; it can be a lot of fun, get you some exercise without even really trying, and is so much cheaper and less hassle to deal with than driving a car.
A tool kit (or a good bike multi-tool) is fairly inexpensive, and is incredibly useful for maintaining, repairing, and upgrading bikes. It's not going to directly affect your ride to and from work, buthelp you keep your bike in top condition so that your ride is easy and safe.
Something like this kit, or this one would be a good place to start, and supplement with individual tools as you need them.
A fairly comprehensive multi-tool like this one would also work for infrequent repairs, though they can be somewhat cumbersome to use at times.
Lastly, a good repair book might not be a bad idea. I like Lenard Zinn's Zinn and the Art of (Road/Mountain) Bike Maintenance. However, there are also man great websites and youtube tutorials (park tools has some excellent guides on their site) that will fulfil the same role.
Power2Max. I was holding out for the Garmin Vector but gave up waiting. They ended up shipping 6 months after I got my Power2Max. Still, I'm very happy with it. The other bonus for me with the Power2Max is that I was already running a Rotor crank and just needed to replace the spider which kept the power meter to about $1,000 taxes and shipping in. However, replacing the spider on the crank was a feat in and of itself. Brutal. Turns out its something Rotor does not support. - i.e., if you screw up your crank while taking the factory spider off, they won't support you. In the end, it turned out OK. (key: Use a hair dryer to heat the spider up)
It is completely justified. Just for the ability to use it indoors using TrainerRoad makes it worth it by itself (for me). Also, after upgrading my Strava account to premium, all of the additional training features that require a power meter are great.
I've just started reading/following the Training & racing with a power meter as well which I hope brings positive results...
*edit: spelling
I think discussions on power meters fit right into the purposes of /r/Velo. Why don't you tell us a little about your riding and training background? How long have you been training, and what sort of goals do you have? Have you read Friel's Training Bible or Allen and Coggan's Training and Racing with a Power Meter?
As far as power meters go, there are a few different types on the market right now (and others will chip in here if i'm forgetting anything, because reasons). Here I'm sorting them from closest to power generation down the driveline:
Head on over to DC Rainmaker and check out his reviews, because his is the gold standard on incredibly detailed information on all things electronics. His reviews are excellent, and he's getting a 4iiii unit to review so we'll know how it fairs. That'd be the best option if you're really price sensitive because their pricing promises to massively undercut all the other players on the market.
So this should be a start.
I bought an old 12 speed racing Peugeot 3 months ago and I am delighted with it.
Since I live on a steep hill and had not done any kind of exercise in years, I asked a LBS for a solution and they put a mountain freewheel on it. I changed the tires (got bigger tires, good quality) and brake pads, cables and housing myself (some googling and checking my new knowledge at the LBS did the trick).
In other words, I went for the second hand, vintage (but a good make) bike because I was not sure I would stick to biking. With the tires I have, my road bike can handle gravel but certainly not trails with rocks and the likes.
Maybe the friend you borrowed the bike from could help you with a second-hand purchase.
If money is not an issue, put the money into a decent cyclocross bike but go to a reliable shop and discuss your options with them.
Oh... and I bought this book, it has got everything on bike maintenance (it is no rocket science... what is hard is to figure out components compatibility when you want to upgrade an old bike. If you are just maintaining your bike, it is pretty basic).
Unless you live in a very hilly area, basic biking is not that hard: the bike carries your weight. Essentially, you have to keep in mind that you should strive to pedal at a regular cadence and use your gears astutely. Increasing the length of your rides is probably what you are aiming for, if you enjoy the touristy aspect of riding. If you are more into fitness/cardio, well... I don't know (pedal faster, probably).
The only problem I encountered is finding a good saddle (it seems my last purchase might do) and finding raingear that does not make you feel like you are sitting in a hot bath.
The skill I find most useful but non-intuitive is to be able to turn your head over your left shoulder and assess whether it is safe to merge left, for example to get around an obstacle or to prepare for a left turn. I would practice this a lot.
Many posters here mention taking the lane, and other maneuvers. This is part of a school of thought that is both discredited and very useful known as Vehicular Cycling. The bible of Vehicular Cycling is a book called Effective Cycling by John Forester.
Vehicular cycling more or less holds that since most bicycle crashes happen as a part of crossing or turning at intersections, bike lanes make cycling less safe because they introduce more places of potential conflict between bikes and other vehicles. Thus cycling is safest when bicycles act as any other vehicle, for example taking the lane and riding with other traffic.
It is discredited because we now know that cycling becomes safer the more cyclists there are, so that motorists become used to encountering cyclists. The best way to get more cyclists is to have cycling infrastructure like bike lanes. This outweighs the benefit of reducing the points of conflict. (It's also discredited because vehicular cycling presumes that the principles of traffic engineering are good to begin with, but they're profoundly not.)
But if you talk to most experienced urban cyclists, including those who strongly advocate for bike lanes, you'll find that on a personal level most follow the vehicular cycling model. So it's good to familiarize one's self with it.
The best way to think of it is this, you can judge your fitness based on a few things: Speed, Heart rate, or watts.
Speed is the simpliest(I'm getting faster! I'm not getting faster.) but it can be effected by a lot; wind, terrain, drafting, aerodynamics, ect.
Heart rate is the next when used with speed(I'm getting faster and my heart rate isn't exploding!) but like speed it can be effected by alot too. Are you sick today, not rested, to much caffeine, along with all the things effecting speed. There is also a lag between effort and heart rate(If you do a 30sec or less effort your heartrate will only see a change near the end or after.
A power meter or watts is the most effective. In short if you are producing more watts, you will be going faster, longer or both. And the things that effect speed does not effect watts. And unlike Heartrate there is little to no lag since it is measuring the effort you are doing.
I'd suggest reading Joel Friel has some great books about using power meters: Training and Racing with a power meter or Powermeter Handbook
I have this book and it has everything I wanted to know thus far. Plus it is pretty easy to read and understand. Good number of pictures as well if that helps you.
I have found that this channel is a great source also.
There are a few basic tool kits out there that should do the trick for you. Of course, I had to get a few additional tools along the way. I am just starting to learn how to do my own work as well, good luck!
For a derailleur hanger, go here: http://www.derailleurhanger.com/
I've ordered from them in the past and they were great. They even worked with me to exchange a hanger since I ordered the wrong one. Very painless.
For other parts, I just shop around via Google. Generally I go with Amazon since I have a Prime account but other times shops will pop up with better prices. I've ordered from most of the places /u/TallBobbyB listed (for the US) and have had good results. Probikekit is based in the UK but they usually have pretty great prices too.
If you want to learn how to fix stuff, you can find just about everything you need on Youtube or the Park Tool Website. If you want something to hold in your hands, Lennard Zinn wrote the bible.
Try rollers instead of a spinning bike or stationary trainer. They're a lot more interesting to ride, and like any indoor trainer, is great for structured training sessions with a power meter because you can hold a certain power level very consistently (compared to being outside on a real bike).
But yeah, it sounds like you are itching really hard to jump into the deep end. In that case, the power meter will be the best thing you'll ever buy for your bike :) And the FTP test will be one of, if not THE most miserable things you will do on your bike, so learn to embrace the suffering.
EDIT: Here is one of the authoritative books on the subject, and is what I used to learn about all of this stuff: https://www.amazon.com/Training-Racing-Power-Meter-2nd/dp/1934030554/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1467250018&sr=1-1&keywords=training+and+racing+with+a+power+meter
I'm no expert mechanic but this is a really good book.
Regular maintenance mostly includes stuff like lubing your chain, keeping everything clean, checking bolt tightness, and making minor adjustments to keep your drivetrain and brakes working smoothly. Occasionally you'll need to do something more in-depth like bleed your hydraulic disc brakes or replace suspension seals - your local shop will be happy to do that stuff if you don't want to mess with it.
Three suggestions for you:
1- invest in a digital caliper. I got mine from harbor freight for 30 dollars. It will save you a lot of headache and help you know what size part you are looking for.
2- invest in the right tools. It doesn't have to be park tools (although they are really nice). But having the correct bottom bracket tool will save time and headache.
3- Buy the park tools big book of bike repair (http://m.parktool.com/product/big-blue-book-of-bicycle-repair-3rd-edition-BBB-3). Or zen and the art of bike repair (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1934030988).
These books will become your bible through your builds.
Also, don't hesitate to ask the wonderful community of r/bikewrench.
They answered acouple of my questions really well and quickly.
Good luck and I've posted up a couple of my builds :D (also a big DIY guy myself)
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/lz2RwBR.jpg[/IMG]my mountain bike
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/to7VIiG.jpg[/IMG]my old commuter bike
When I first started riding I was in the same position. I was good friends with a guy who'd been riding his whole life. (1) I asked him to teach me. (2) There was a bike shop that did free workshops and I would go to those. (3) Lastly I watched a lot of YouTube videos. (4) I'd also get a book like Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance. It will be trial and error at first, but eventually the basics become second nature and the more advanced repairs can be done with reference material, patience, and luck. Good luck.
If you haven't noticed yet, you'll see this reference mentioned everywhere. Because it really is that good. It's exactly how I got started with my first build, and I know at least two others that started the same way. You need to know nothing more, and nothing less than what this man has written. I found that even the parts I didn't understand at first, later made sense after building a bicycle. It's wonderful. Next, check and see if there are any community bike shop cooperatives near you. They're bicycle goldmines, and nearly anyone involved will be happy to give you a hand. Most of them are ran by volunteers. If they didn't want to help you, they wouldn't be there. If you have access to a cooperative shop, and read through some Sheldon Brown, building your first bike is going to be awesome.
If you prefer paper references, I would also suggest this. Another very well written, knowledgeable guide for first time builders/tinkerers.
Buy this book - Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance. it's under $20 on Amazon. Couple of points:
Good luck!
Zinn & The Art of Road Bike Maintenance for a book. Sheldon Brown for articles. Against the chainring or crank arm? If chainring, then it sounds like you just need to lube your chain.
In general, it's good to wipe your chain down after a ride using a rag and just pedaling the bike backwards with your hand. When the chain is no longer quiet, it needs lube. Different lubes last different lengths of time, so I can't really give a schedule for this. Riding in the rain is a good way to make the lube go bye-bye. Eventually the chain will need to be cleaned. Some people clean it on the bike with something like the Park Tools contraption, and some take it off. I take it off, clean it, and lube it before I put it back on (unique to the lube I use)
Get a good book on bicycle maintenance. There are lots out there but I like Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance. If you're new to the whole thing it might feel overwhelming. Start with simple things like cleaning your drive train. You're probably also short on tools and all the specialized bike tools can get expensive. I'd recommend a starter tool kit from Park Tool. While you're there check out the Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair. If you think you'll really get into it think about buying a bicycle work stand. It makes working on a bike a whole lot easier which will make you want to do it more often.
Not sure if this is applicable, but Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance is really good. I just picked up a copy and have been slowly making adjustments to my bike. It's really helpful.
There is also one for Mountain Bikes as well, which may better serve you.
I agree with FastFreire being successful in bike racing is much more than power to weight ratio at FTP. (Although yours is a good start) You may want check out this post on power profiles.
http://home.trainingpeaks.com/blog/article/power-profiling
Also I'd recommend checking out a few other resources on bike racing and power.
https://www.trainerroad.com/podcast
https://www.velopress.com/books/reading-the-race/
https://www.amazon.com/Training-Racing-Power-Meter-2nd/dp/1934030554
If you have the funds you may also want to look into getting a coach to help you interpret your power data and lay out a training plan.
The Zinn books are a great hard copy reference, as well. I keep the Road and MTB editions in my garage near the tools. Great resources with excellent diagrams and descriptions.
>Zinn and the art of mountain bike maintenance
Ha! There is such a thing!
https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597
I honestly thought it was a typo for Zen, and there is a billion "Zen and the art of something..." out there, and just figured that was one of those. And I was going to pass on yet again, another philosophy of life outlook. Read one, read them all. LOL.
Cool. Thanks.
Finally, something I can answer:
I have two books in my repertoire:
Bike Science 3rd Ed. - This breaks down the physics of what's happening. It goes in depth about materials, history, really everything bike related. It doesn't go into detail about makes and models though.
Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance - Where Bike Science is the why, Zinn gets down to brass tacks and gives you useful information on how to fix a bike (note that there is also a Zinn book for Mt. Bikes and triathlon bikes which I haven't read yet...). This is my go-to reference when something goes wrong with my bike.
BikeForums.net - So I don't know everything about anything but this is the place to do research. SRAM vs Ultegra? Trek vs Cannondale? Someone has already asked the question and it's on BikeForums somewhere. I trust people who've actually ridden/owned a bike I have a question about far more than some online review that was vetted by the manufacturer.
Hope it helps.
I have the Shimano A530 on my city/rain bike and they're great. It's nice to have the ability to ride in regular sneakers as well as being able to clip in. Installing pedals is simple as well. No need to bring it to the shop. All you need is a 15mm wrench and some grease (which you can buy at the LBS).
For the most part I work on my own bike with the help of youtube and this book.. I think as long as you're somewhat mechanically inclined, the hardest part about working on your own bike or car is having the guts to just do it. You're likely not going to screw anything up beyond repair.
Lots of great information in this thread about training with power so far.
Training with power is much more than generating big numbers and showing off to your friends. It's a great tool for tracking your fitness and fatigue over time to make sure you don't over train and peak at the right times. Look into Performance Management Charts and how they are used for training.
Even if you have a coach, you should get this book and read through it.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1934030554/
Also, sign up for TrainingPeaks or learn how to use golden cheetah. TP costs money, is super nice and automated. Strava is a fun toy, but it sucks compared to a real tool like TP.
Look into getting some reference books, this book is a great one for mountain bike maintenance, and there is also a road bike equivalent.
You'll also need some fairly specialized tools, something like this would be more than enough, but if you get more serious you will want to replace items with the Park Tools equivalent.
You will also need a work stand, but in all honesty I just use something like this, but would not be a great option to work on long term. You will need something that clamps the bike in place, like this Park Tools stand.
TLDR; Bike maintenance requires a decent investment (for a 17 year old) for anything beyond changing a tube.
All good advice. I second the thought that buying from a shop is better than buying from Dicks or whatever for a lot of reasons, especially if you are a relatively new rider. And that Diamondback does not look that good for actual trailriding. The components on the Felt are just ok, but the Diamondback is not very good. If you are serious about riding I'd suggest trying to get something 1 notch above the Felt, but if that is the price limit that is okay too.
For bike maintenance one of the standard books is: Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance . Although I think you can get by for the most part with the internet these days, it is supposed to be a good book and the author is very knowledgable. For internet resources, there are many, but Park Tool's website has some very good guides available.
Buy this book: Zinn & the Art of Mt. Bike Maintenance
Best mechanic guide out there. (Take it from me... I'm an ex-mechanic) There's a road bike one too, however much of it is applicable to all bike drive-trains.
One thing I would never skimp on is a quality saddle. Buy a slightly cheaper chain, shifters, whatever... but never settle on a saddle.
You should be able to get a road bike for £500-600. However, it will be entry level so a year or two into it's life (depending no how much you ride) there will be replacements. You could always get a rigid hybrid for the road too if you want to save some money. Here's an example Trek FX Hybrid line
Lights...One thing to know about lights. Unless you're spending $100 on a front light, they're meant so you're seen, not so you can see the road ahead. If you want to see the road, here's an example of what to get Niterider
One final note on a helmet. They all pass the same safety tests. The price increases due to other factors. Comfort of pads and straps, ventilation, etc.
I'm trying to do more and more of my own repairs as I go. Flats are a non-issue...5 minutes on the side of the road and I'm back in the saddle. I've been slowly buying tools as I need them and the other day got this tool kit in the mail so I could replace a worn out bottom bracket and have some extra tools on hand that I don't have yet. My next project is replacing my gear and brake cables...haven't done that before so it should be interesting. I use this guy for a workstand - it does what it needs to do but it would be nice if it was a bit sturdier. Any time I need to sort out how to fix something I haven't done yet I consult Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance, YouTube, and finally /r/bikewrench. I haven't royally screwed anything up yet and I hope to keep it that way!
For maintenance guide, I really like the Zinn guides. There's one for road bikes and one for mountain bikes, but a lot of the content is the same.
https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/193771537X/ref=dp_ob_title_bk
I would also suggest attending a "bike maintenance 101" class. You can often find them through your friendly local bike shop or cycling collective, or sometimes your county DOT will offer them. I took one through the county and learned how to change a flat, adjust brakes and shifters, and clean/lube all the bike parts. It was really helpful!
Zinn and the art of Bike Maintenance
Pretty good reference book to have on hand as well.
I picked up this book when I started to get into more complicated repairs. When it came to adjusting brakes and derailleurs and what not, it was trial and error and youtube videos.
In regards to getting a new bike, don't be afraid to go to your lbs and share your concerns. They are going to be able to fit you with a bike that is the best fit for you. As said, you are probably going to need a new wheelset so I'd say try to stay away for your max so you have room to get wheels that are designed to support the extra weight.
YouTube is great for specific. I would also recommend reading Zinn & The art of road bike maintenance for fairly detailed explanations. It also has a fairly good glossary and troubleshooting section.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988
The sets are generally not recommended because 1) you don't need all the tools right away and 2) you generally don't need half of the tools.
There are only a handful of tools that are really important to have, the rest is to make things easier. And some tools are better left to the LBS (such as a real headset press).
To remove the chain you will need a chain tool (get a quicklink/powerlink while you have the chain off of the wheel, they're much easier). To adjust the wheels, you will need a spoke tool (assuming it isn't bent too much). Replacing a derailleur shouldn't require any special tools (screw drivers, allen keys). Although if you're going to be replacing shifter cable housing having a proper cable cutter (such as the park one) is important. You probably won't need to though. Don't forget cable ends (maybe ask for a few from your LBS).
Also, this has been helpful (and seems quite popular): http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597
The rest you can find out from videos online. There generally isn't anything you can't do yourself (although some pressurized components prevent you from reassembling).
>pretty puzzling that your mechanic hasn’t dialed it in.
The mechanic I'm usually talking to is a right sweetheart, but he's not been in the job for long. I've seen them checking YouTube-videos for guidance on how to fix everyday tasks on common parts, like the Shimano Tiagra handle assembly. When I think about that, I'm not too surprised over the situation, to be honest.
I never cross chain. I always have the chain on the big ring and small gear, or vice versa. Despite this, the chain rubs. I've bought this book, and will try to see if I can't fix it myself before I turn it in.
Sheldon Brown's website is going to be better than pretty much any book out there. If you insist on a book, Zinn is pretty solid.
I've found this book to be a great reference:
http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988
In my casual experience working with bikes, once you go beyond stuff that's on your multitool, it's all pretty specialized and a tad costly.
Depending on what bike you're building, you might have more in tools than the bike. If you were talking about fabrication because you wanted to make your own tubing or braze your own frame -- sounds like a great long term hobby, but I don't know that I would ride your first self-taught creation.
Wow. You just jumped the shark.
> You first said that no Minnesota law requires you to ride as far to the right as practicable, which is the word I used first
No, the word you used is "possible," he pointed out the law actually said "practicable." You're trying to rewrite history.
> then you said that the reason you ride where you do is because no law says you can't
I don't see this statement anywhere. Actually, he explicitly says the conditions under the law where cyclists are allowed to ride where they need to be safe, an explicit acknowledgement of the rights granted by the law.
> every "safer cycling guide" recommends (and you still haven't provided a single source for your claim)
Google it yourself. But I provided you one instead. Tell me where you live and I bet I can find similar guidelines there. See also the book Effective Cycling, a whole book dedicated to the subject.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventure-Cycle-touring-Handbook-Worldwide-Planning/dp/1873756895
I found this source to be very useful in the planning phase as reading and thinking about the different components of the trip steps you through thinking about all that stuff (26" or 700c?, rigid fork or suspension?, panniers or trailer?, hammock, tent or bivy? multi-fuel stove? mail care packages? down or polyester? etc etc).
Also, a GPS is good for piece of mind while hiking - most of the trails I was on were not well marked. Otherwise it's def not needed as directions are always clear - with any map it's impossible to get lost. One road.
At this point I would just get a new bottom bracket. If it has run while being able to move like that at all, the bearings and races are going to be completely trashed.
You should be able to get a new one that is compatible with those cranks for cheap.
If you are interested in doing your own repairs now or in the future get a good book like Zinn's art of mountain bike maintenance.
https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499692786&sr=8-1&keywords=zinns+mountain+bike+maintenance
You've gotten links to Sheldon Brown's website. His site is an incredible resource.
Past that, I like Zinn and the Art. He has some great illustrations that really see you through some situations.
Also useful is Park tools webpage. It is basically the BBB (Big Blue Book) in electronic form.
Don't be afraid to spend on tools - they are invaluable. Just use your mechanical intuition, and think things through before doing them.
Yeah, I had the same problem when I bought mine. It hurt my back to ride it. I think this is one of the places that racing culture has influenced recreational and utilitarian riding. The forward position is to cut wind and get a full extension of the leg when peddling to fully maximize your speed potential...Which just doesn't matter when you're not a racer.
I fixed my bike by swapping out the short downward angle quill stem with a taller, more upright angle, bought fixie bmx style riser bars that slightly slope backwards and a wider, padded seat. I'm not the fastest rider on the road, but I'm not the slowest either. It doesn't take me any longer to get to work now than it did with the racing style setup and it's a much, much comfier ride. More importantly, I can spend way more time in the saddle, which makes me a stronger, better rider since I'm not in constant pain from the bike beating me up.
This book is what tuned me into racing's impact on cycling as a sport. It's a good read:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0074QGFES/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_d_asin_title_o09?ie=UTF8&psc=1
You should be fine with any brand that also makes expensive models. Trek, Specialized, Giant, etc. Their bottom-ranked stuff still needs to be solid and reliable because they have a brand reputation to preserve. The REI branded Co-Op bikes should also be OK. You can also search the internet for reviews of any model bike that interests you.
Buying used is a great way to get started but make sure you educate yourself to ensure you aren't buying someone else's wreck victim / maintenance problems or you can fix them easily. I do my own maintenance and learned pretty much everything I know from a book, Sheldon Brown, Google, and YouTube videos.
Yep, Sheldon is my go to for answers. I also have Zinn's guide which can be pretty useful as well.
Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance is a great resource. Also check out a picture like this and then google "How to install x". You'll find plenty of youtube videos that will help you along the way.
I used to think building and truing wheels was some kind of black magic. Then I decided to build my own wheel and it turned out to be pretty simple. I followed in instructions in Zinn's guide with a Park Tool TS-8 truing stand. Now I build and true all my wheels. It's pretty quick, too: about an hour for building and less than five minutes for truing.
If you have the time and a few basic tools, bike maintenance is pretty easy to learn. My copy of Zinn and The Art of Road Bike Maintenance has saved me a lot of money over the years! Also, youtube and r/bikewrench.
The industry has really moved toward this as a way away from custom bikes. Once they had a lot of fit data statistics, some of the bigger companies actually adjusted their sizing philosophies, too. There's more to it than height and inseam. CompetitiveCyclist.com has a fit calculator that will have you do the measurements of each joint, etc. That's close but it's not a substitute for a pro fit.
I just (last week) bought a new bike by mail order. Know that if you do this you will have to have some (but honestly not a lot) mechanical ability to put it together and get it running and adjusted.
Check out http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/193771537X/ref=dp_ob_title_bk There's probably a copy at your local public library.
All the answers you need are here:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Mountain-Bikers-Training-Bible/dp/1884737714
As /u/milliken says, having a structured training plan is definitely beneficial. I'm just now starting to develop my plan as I get back into racing after a long layoff, and I've found this book indispensable.
FWIW, I also recommend:
Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance and youtube were my best friends when I built up my road bike from a frameset and components (new and used).
There is tons of info on youtube, but maybe a better place to start is a book like this one.
Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance
I use this one all the time, great and easy to understand.
This is a great book for beginner's, nice illustrations and it's not too overwhelming.
Made Good has a ton of videos on bike repair.
Heck yes, and in the spirit of this thread, bike tools! So much simpler to learn to do your own maintenance on a bike than on a car. It will save you a chunk of money too.
http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988
I'd recommend you to read "Just Ride" by Grant Petersen. Full of (slightly controversial) wisdom, among other, a lot of it about "racer" traits implied to the rest of us cyclists. Weight craze being one of them.
Zinn's book has helped me immensely.
Also got a Park Tools toolset with some of the basic tools listed in the first part of Zinn's book, it's worked great so far. My bike is spotless and I clean it every 3 or so rides, takes 10 minutes.
Get the book Just Ride from your library as it discusses the equipment needed for using a bike to commute. It also has a lot great information for someone new to commuting by bike. It will help keep your budget under control and keep you from getting a wanna be racer bike that wont last.
Considering this is all in build up for IM Chattanooga(longer race and in sept) I would try to find a training plan for IM distance and let that carry you up to half IM in the next 12 weeks. george-bob's suggestion of triradar is good but you can also take a look at http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon/ironman-workouts/ and http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/training-plans-view.asp?planid=33&memberlevel=1 . It isn't so important which plan you pick. Just pick one and try to stay consistent with it.
Also since you just got a power meter and are playing around with it I highly recommend Andrew Coggan's Training and Racing with a Power Meter: http://www.amazon.com/Training-Racing-Power-Meter-Hunter/dp/1934030554
Max: 1592w ---- 5s: 1363w ---- 20mins: 345w 4.2w/kg
Played basketball for 15+ years which I would say attributed to my fast twitch muscle fibres.
With structured training you'll see your FTP increase heaps. As others have mentioned, get a copy of Training and Racing with a Power Meter, by Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan.
Other option is get a coach which will help heaps too !
I'm reading Effective Cycling by John Forester right now. It's really helpful to teach you how you should be riding with the other uses of roadways (motorists). Forester has experience with cycling over the decades, and knows the legal reasons behind the often inferior cycling infrastructure in the US. It also has useful fix-it instructions.
Otherwise, I picked up Greg LeMond's Complete Book of Bicycling for pennies at a book sale, and while I haven't read it all the way yet, it has some good bike-fit tips.
It's actually not that hard. Aside from cassette/bottom bracket tools you will mainly just need a decent set of Allen (hex) keys and some spanners. A decent pair of cable cutters is probably worth it too if you're going to play around with cables/cable housing.
Sheldon Brown or "Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintence" will get you a very long way. Take the plunge :)
I bought a copy of Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance specifically because it includes a sensible list of regular maintenance tasks. It has several lists, like “before every ride,” “after every ride (or three),” “every 1000 miles,” “every 20,000 miles,” and helpful hints about how to know specifically when you need to do certain things, regardless of how many rides or miles you do.
This book is really good and easy to follow.
http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1345502099&sr=8-3&keywords=bike+maintenance
Also, pinkbike tech tuesdays. Scroll down to see a list of a whole bunch of articles and videos.
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Tech-Tuesday-Gorilla-Tape-Tubeless-Conversion.html
Doesn't look broken at all; just like you have enough slack on both the brake and shift housing that it was able to pop out of the brake lever and shifter.
If this is happening, along with the other stuff, you likely just need to take your bike to a shop to have a basic tune-up and cable/housing replacement done.
If you want to fix this yourself, buy the book Zinn and the Art of Mountan Bike Maintenance. It'll cover all of these things and put you on a good path to learning how to work on your own bike.
Tryon Bike
Join their wrench club & buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597
Ask lots of questions (bike people are nice folks) and try to become self sufficient with basic repairs because it's all pretty simple and walking home sucks!
Before signing up for any sort of program, buy this book and read it all. During that time, just record your data and ride as your normally do.
I'd highly recommend finding some software other than strava to use as well, it's pretty terrible for analyzing power data, and some of the power charts with Premium are just flat out broken. Personally, I use Training Peaks, but there are other options, and other free options.
I really like Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance for most projects. Much easier for me than YouTube videos.
I had to replace a rear derailleur one time and Lennard Zinn Art of Road Bike Maintenance was a major help. If you like a quick witty read check out the Bike Snob
I'm guessing the book is this, but I would be surprised if that were truly something Coggan had written. It doesn't sound like him.
This book is a great resource if you want to learn how to work on bikes:
Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance: The World's Best-Selling Bicycle Repair and Maintenance Guide https://www.amazon.com/dp/1934030988/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_k3ZNDbA2KEHXE
The author is the tech writer for Velonews and he really knows his stuff.
Can anyone recommend a good bike repair book? I was deciding between these two:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1934030988/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/097655304X/
I use Zinn & The Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance. It's great too, and focuses on, ummm... mountain bikes.
Do yourself a favor and pick up the 5th edition (just came out) of Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance.
http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/193771537X/
The cost of the book will pay for itself in repair savings and educate you about tools, parts, and even some safety information. A little knowledge will save you money and frustration.
I've loved this resource for many of those questions
https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524678006&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=zin+and+the+art+of+bike
i think zinn is the standard. but these days you're probably better looking for a video on youtube.
edit: zinn - https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/193771537X/ref=dp_ob_title_bk
Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance is basically the bible of bike repair. Buy that and supplement it with videos on YouTube from Park Tools or GCN.
If you live in a decent sized city, check and see if there's a bike co-op. They usually offer free/low cost repair classes and have a whole bunch of tools so you can see what you like/need.
I'm a Park Tool loyalist and will only buy that brand for 90% of my bike tools (my hex wrenches, tire levers, screwdriver, and fixie chainwhip are not PT). They're more expensive but they're solid and last forever. Can't really go wrong with them.
My standby for bike repair information has always been Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance.
I also live by Park Tool videos on YouTube. They're beyond excellent, and there's a video available for just about everything.
Buy this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1310172528&sr=8-2
Read it and you'll never pay a bike mechanic again. I podiumed XC races back in the day on a wheelset I built by hand using what I learned from this book.
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/1934030554
There are PDF online free and also ereader versions. For the cost I just ordered online.
I find this very good also
I started with this. Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance: The World's Best-Selling Bicycle Repair and Maintenance Guide https://www.amazon.com/dp/193771537X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_.ALcAb2R65KY3
Since I got it, I apprenticed at a shop for about a year and I'd consider that book pretty good. I'm not a huge fan of the wheelbuilding section in it, but it's enough to get you through your first wheel. After that you may want to start exploring other methods as I find the one in that book overly time consuming/confusing compared to the one I learned on the shop.
Edit: I read you might be able to find it in your local library, so you could check it out before you buy it or just simply check it out when you need.
When I asked a fellow MTBer a couple of years ago he suggested I get this book. It has been quite helpful indeed.
They also wrote a road bike one with the similar title.
http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597
I think Zinn & The Art of Road Bike repair could be useful
Thanks for the advice. I have Zinn as reference for essential tools.
Just picked up this book: http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419283042&sr=8-1&keywords=zinn+and+the+art+of+mountain+bike+maintenance
I don't think there's a thing on my bike I can't fix now. You really need a bike stand and a decent set of tools and you're good to go.
Straightforward directions and easy to understand.
https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988
I have found Zinn's books good for beginners:
Mountain Bikes
Road Bikes
Awesome! Never would have found this gem without Reddit :).
Link for the lazy: http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597.
I highly recommend Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance
FWIW, I really like this book: Training and Racing with a Power Meter. Your local library might have a copy.
Do you still have the original chain? This guide might help.
It's a little different for each cable, so I always end up YouTube searching. Park Tool also has a ton of repair resource videos (which is what I linked above). This book is supposedly a really good resource, too, but I haven't bought it yet.
Here is the book you need
I'd give a commuter bike a self service every month myself checking
Yeah, that is some serious RTFM kinda stuff. In addition to your other suggestions, OP should get the Zinn book, if they really want to dive into bicycle repair.
Before you do that, you might want to read this: http://www.amazon.com/The-Cyclists-Training-Bible-Friel/dp/1934030201/
You can use that with this: http://www.amazon.com/Training-Racing-Power-Meter-Hunter/dp/1934030554/
And create your own workouts and training plan.
Do you endorse this book?
be sure to get a copy of zinn's book: https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988
Did you by chance mean this?
you need to buy this, it's worth every penny.
edit: a word
I found the book Tour Fever: The Armchair Cyclist's Guide to the Tour de France immensely helpful. I borrowed it from my local library but I'm thinking of purchasing it so I have it handy.
Hey, try getting a book on that, you can find many on amazon, here is one:
http://www.amazon.ca/QUICK-GUIDE-FIXIE-BIKES-specialized-ebook/dp/B00TO0O6SO/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425240306&sr=1-3&keywords=fixed+gear+bicycle
Just pick up a Zinn book and then start wrenching, covers everything you could possibly want to know. If you want mountain bike specific try this one, https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597
I would take it back and have them do some more work on it. I'd avoid using soap/water on the chain unless you plan on putting more lube on it. Also use a soft rag or towel rather than toilet paper. Look into this book, it will help you out a lot.
http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597
This book is invaluable if you want to step your game up https://www.amazon.com/Training-Racing-Power-Meter-Hunter/dp/1934030554
bteske01's answer is spot on. If you want to learn more about all of the things, check out Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance (or the mountain bike version if you have a mountain bike).
https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988
https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1937715477
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1934030988/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_qqqMzb0NX0S76
And there's an mtb version if that's your flavor. It'll teach you anything you could want to know about working on a bike
Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance: The World's Best-Selling Bicycle Repair and Maintenance Guide https://www.amazon.com/dp/193771537X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_57YjDbVJ58GA7
http://www.amazon.com/Touring-Bikes-A-Practical-Guide/dp/1852233397
buy Zinn's book: https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988
Power Meter + this book
This is on my list.
Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance: The World's Best-Selling Bicycle Repair and Maintenance Guide
i personally love this book.
is this the book you're talking about?
http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030422/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1332775060&sr=8-2
https://smile.amazon.com/Training-Racing-Power-Meter-Hunter/dp/1934030554/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8
I started with this book (mine is the older version): Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance
Zinn and the Art of Roadbike maintenance.
I'd add Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance to the list.
this helps me a lot
http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597
To learn about bikes, riding, and culture or how to fix them?
For maintenance this is a good start (or the MTB version): http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988/ref=la_B001JP36Q0_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413652170&sr=1-1
Training and Racing with a Power Meter and Cyclist's Training Bible are probably the closest two. Also check out Reading the Race for strategy tips and race craft.
Zinn's art of bike maintenance
Signed.
I gifted this one to my dad. Dunno if there's an english version, though.
Read this
Then get this one.
park tools website
https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/193771537X/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=193771537X&pd_rd_r=R8YN2XFTHMWAE783999N&pd_rd_w=DMd4u&pd_rd_wg=dezz3&psc=1&refRID=R8YN2XFTHMWAE783999N
How about Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance?
http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030422/ref=la_B001JP36Q0_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1343795038&sr=1-2
zen & the art of road bike maintenance is relatively cheap and is a giant text book of everything you would need to know from basic repairs to finetuning the smallest of parts.
http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597
The standard book that most will refer to is Zinn & the Art of Road Bicycle Maintenance.
As for terminology, AASHTA (as always Sheldon has the answer)
Oil the chain, go through all the gears, buy this book.
The bible.
The online reference.
Devour this
See if your bike shop has this.
or this.
I custom build my touring bike with this book. And of course Shelton Brown.
Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance: The World's Best-Selling Bicycle Repair and Maintenance Guide https://www.amazon.com/dp/193771537X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Tsl8AbQ1CPQ4M
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/1934030554
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1934030988?pc_redir=1408852823&robot_redir=1
Can anyone comment on Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance?
New version due out in November: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1937715477/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
[boom]
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1934030422/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1346883908&sr=8-1&keywords=zinn+and+the+art+of+road+bike+maintenance&condition=used)
If you're looking for a book, Zinn is hard to beat. Basically the Bible of bike maintenance.
I only briefly flipped through the Mountain Bike edition, but saw that it does cover flat bars and disc brakes, so I'd probably go with that version. Amazon has a preview of the book if you're not sure.
Just Ride by Grant Petersen. Not specifically about bike commuting, but a good read.
Roads Were Not Built For Cars by Carlton Reid. Talks about the history of bicycles and their impetus for developing national road systems.
Effective Cycling by John Forester. Considered controversial by some in the Cycling community. Right or wrong, I think anyone trying to study city cycling should be familiar with his work.
Poorly adjusted front derailleur, worn chain rings and worn chain can all cause or contribute to this
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/
https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help
https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988
OP, if you have not yet, please read Training and Racing with a Power Meter. If you have not read it I recommend just reading it through once, even if you start saying "what the hell is this part getting at?" Then once you are done reread it. It makes a ton of sense the second time through when you can see what he is laying ground work for later in the book.
All tri bikes are a pain in the ass. I have a Norcom 2.1 and it's still a pain to work on. Mechanics hate redoing my cables. For the first year I was always having to tweak my brakes. The arm rest pads blow; they're cheap plastic and broke on multiple occasions. By the way - Fuji sucks for warrantied parts...there was an almost 4 week turn around just to get those. I once offered them five times what they were worth sarcastically just to sell them to me and they wouldn't do it. I ended up replacing those pads with aluminum profile design ones this week, but even that wasn't a perfect fit. But yeah, all tri bikes suck to wrench on. If you're going to do tri bike work yourself, order the book Zinn & The Art of Triathlon Bikes off Amazon, it should help.
Edit: Get yourself a torque wrench too.
Für allgemeines Know-How finde ich immer noch die Videos von Park Tool am besten: https://www.youtube.com/user/parktoolcompany/playlists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=10. Alle paar Monate gibts einen Block an Videos, die einen Themenbereich abdecken, z.B. die Schaltung. Aber auch so haben die da ziemlich viel guten content.
Sind sauber produziert, gut aufgebaut und Calvin ist eh der coolste. Hat auch ein Buch über die Fahrradwartung geschrieben: https://www.amazon.de/Das-Blaue-Buch-Fahrradtechnik-BBB-3/dp/3942596202/
Werkzeug würde ich mir Stück für Stück zulegen. Das kann schon ordentlich ins Geld gehen, und vieles braucht man nur einmal. Absolute must haves wären für mich: